Ms Caroline O'Loughlin:

I will talk the Acting Chair through the process, going back to the start and explaining the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform's involvement. First, it would start with a guidance note, when we request this information from Departments. Then, as Dr. Moran mentioned, there are particular Vote sections within our Department that would have a much more in-depth knowledge of the work of each Department. They will work with the Departments to identify the most suitable metrics. In our section, we then provide capacity building within line Departments. If we feel that a Department does not fully understand or has some kind of capacity issue, we provide training or guidance, ad hocand whenever it is needed, to the Department as a whole or to individual sections. We work very closely with them when that is requested.

The final piece of the puzzle arises when the information is used in Oireachtas committees and when Departments are challenged on the metrics they have selected. As the remits of Departments are so varied, there is no template we can provide that will say this is what a Department has to follow. In the examples the Acting Chair mentioned, the Department of Social Protection may have quite specific metrics, whereas other Departments may have more difficulty, depending on their individual remit. A key time to make sure the right information is provided would be during meetings with Oireachtas committees. We see that when Deputies challenge or question the information that is provided, the information provided the following year will change. We are very open to feedback. When that takes place, we can see that the information is changed so that it does best serve its purpose.